Trust
by Angela27Riddle
Summary: Bella Swan was bullied in school by Edward Cullen and his gang. Now after 7 years, Edward applies for a job in Bella's company. What will she do?
1. Chapter 1

**Ch-1 The Geek**

Alright! I AM THE GEEK! I GET IT! I need not be reminded of it each and every SECOND OF MY LIFE! I am fed up of Edward Masen and his freakin' "COOL GANG"! They just wanna make my life hell!

I suppose you are confused. Why not? _I _am confused. I am the most intelligent student of Forks High School and I study here because I won a scholarship, though nobody knows about that! My parents and boyfriend – Lucas Weber – died in a car accident two years ago. Now, my relatives are searching for someone who could adopt me so that I wouldn't have to move in with them.

It's not like they don't want me there. It's just that the place reminds me too much of my past and I hate that.

Anyway, my name is Isabella Swan but I prefer Bella. Only one person calls me Bella and that is my one and only friend Alice Brandon, who knows my secret. But she is best friends with Edward Masen and his gang, which comprises of Emmett McCarthy – a tall and intimidating guy who is also Edward's cousin and is an idiot when it comes to studies, Rosalie Hale – Emmett's girlfriend and she is the most beautiful girl in the world and the world's biggest bitch, Jasper Whitlock – tall, leonine and Alice's boyfriend and Edward's best friend, Lauren Mallory – the school's most popular girl and also a bitch, and Jessica Stanley – the world's biggest sidekick and the world's biggest slut.

As you can see – none of them have a vocabulary of more than fifty words except for Edward. And all of them HATE me. I need not tell that the feeling is mutual.

Right now, I am sitting in a corner of the cafeteria and reading one of my all time favorites – Wuthering Heights. And I can see the "COOL" gang coming to bully me again.

"So Swan? Back to the classics, huh?", asked Edward.

I did not reply.

"Are you deaf? Or just plain dumb?", asked the nasally voice of Lauren Mallory.

I stood up to go to my next class. I wasn't lucky at all. Edward pulled my bag and out fell its contents. I quickly grabbed the things that had fallen out and saw that my precious locket with Lucas' photograph lying on the ground. I made to pick it up but Rosalie was faster than me.

"Swan! Did you steal it from someone? Because it's certainly not in your – uh – _budget_", she said.

"Just give it back", I said.

"Oooooh! Little Belly-boo wants her locket back?", asked Lauren in a baby-ish voice.

I could feel the tears prickling my eyes and held my hand out for the locket. Rosalie winked at Emmett – who winked back – and threw it to him. He caught it at once and crushed it under his shoe.

I froze.

And then everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for your reviews guys! I'd better warn you all that I CANNOT upload from March 1st to 24th. So I'll try and upload as much as I can b4 the 28th! And Jake's going to have a part in this story too!**

**ENJOY!**

**Ch-2 Renata**

I woke up to find a weeping Renata beside me. She is my cousin and my best friend.

"Ren!", I said.

"Oh, Bella! I'm so, so, _so_ sorry!", she cried.

"Why? What happened?", I asked, startled.

"I went and blabbed everything about you! Oh, Bella! I'm _really_ sorry!", she said, shaking her head.

I could not reply for a second. Then I realized that she was not supposed to be here.

"What're you doing here?", I asked.

"Well, we found you a family. You'll have no brothers or sisters and the woman can't have children and they said they badly want to adopt a child like you. After all you are only fifteen.", she said.

"Ohh!", I was surprised.

In a few minutes, I was asleep again.

**EDWARD**

I was in shock and so were the others when we heard that brunette say that Bella was an orphan and the locket that Emmett had broken had held a picture of her best-friend, then boyfriend – Lucas Weber.

The rest of them did not speak a word to me after that. After all, she had done nothing to them. Actually, she had done nothing to anyone. I just hated her because she could beat me in all tests and what was more, she did **not** have **any** effect of my dazzling powers.

"Is this jealousy?", I thought.

"Is that you guys?", came Alice's voice from her room. We had all gone there to see if she was well. She had had a headache and didn't come to school that day.

"Yep!", said Jasper and hugged her.

"Did you tease Bella today?", she asked.

"Did you know Bella had no parents?", I asked.

Alice did not reply.

"You knew, right?", I asked.

"How does it concern you, Edward Anthony Masen?", she asked.

"Some cousin of hers came and went on blabbing and cursing us just because Emmett broke her locket and –", Lauren was cut by Alice's scream.

"You did what!", she cried.

"Did you even know how much it hurt her? Do you even know what she has gone through? How could you?", questions came and attacked us out of her small mouth.

She was interrupted by the doorbell.

"I'll get it", I said and rushed downstairs.

Bella was standing on the porch with that cousin of hers.

"Hi Bella!", I said with a smile.

"Is Alice okay?", she asked curtly.

I nodded and she interrupted me.

"Give this to her", she said handing me an envelope.

Then she ran back to the Mercedes Warrior waiting outside.

**BELLA**

When I woke up, Renata had gone. I was in the Volturi's resthouse. I had a dream about how Alice would react when I broke the news to her. Then I remembered that she was ill and probably the 'GANG' would be at her house.

I looked around and found an envelope and some sheets of paper. I decided to write her a note. It would be easy.

_Dear Alice, _[I wrote]

_I'm sorry to break this to you but I am going away to Phoenix, Arizona. My cousin – Renata Volturi came to pick me up and my flight is tomorrow morning. I don't WANT a tearful goodbye, because it be like old memories again. Anyway, I have been adopted by a childless couple – Dr. and Mrs. Cullen – who I hope would treat me unlike your best friends. Which reminds me – I want to thank them for a few things._

_To,_

_EMMETT McCARTHY:- thank you very much for taking away that part of my life for which I lived. If you had not done that then maybe I would never have realized that Lucas never loved Plain Janes like me. I just got my hopes up with you people around. I know Ren let the cat out of the bag. Thank you, once again._

_ROSALIE HALE:- I can never thank you enough to get my life to a turning point. You showed me MY true colors that I'm a good-for-nothing bookworm. Thank you for snatching Lucas away from me. And I'm really, really sorry for entering your important and perfect lives._

_JASPER WHITLOCK:- for making the only person who liked me, very happy. I can see from Alice's expression that she loves you very much. Please don't make her sad and of course, all the best with future "DWEEBS"._

_LAUREN MALLORY:- for showing me how a prim-and-proper, beautiful girl should behave. Of course, I must say, I never really had any practice on how to sleep with each and every guy in the school, so I don't know how to appreciate this marvelous feat of yours._

_JESSICA STANLEY:- for being the world's greatest sidekick bitch EVER! I don't have any other compliments for you and of course, I AM SORRY!_

_AND LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST AND CERTAINLY THE __**MOST**__!_

_EDWARD MASEN:- Oh, I don't know where to begin and where to end! Your list of great, daring deeds is endless. Of course, making fun of the GEEK Bella Swan lost its fun when she - I mean IT - started crying, right? I AM really sorry for making a mess of your perfect life, perfect car, perfect grades, perfect parents, perfect looks, perfect 'player' material... Well, well, well, Swan made quite a mess of it, didn't she? Well, I'm sorry for that, but you see... I don't have your perfect what-nots, have I? Do you know, what? Maybe you should open your eyes and see what other people like me are. How much we suffer in this world because of people like you! You were right! We were better off dead! I would have met Lucas sooner. But who knows, he IS in Heaven and I might land up in Hell because I spoilt your lives. Anyway, I'm really, really sorry._

_Bye Alice! I just hope that you would be good enough to pass my messages on to the others. I don't have anything else left to ell._

_Bye, Pixie!_

_I'll miss you a lot!_

_Bella._

_**PLEASE REVIEW! :)**_


	3. Chapter 3

**THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS GUYS! A READER REALLY NEEDS MOTIVATION! AND KEEP ON GIVING ME SUGGESTIONS! I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! :)**

**Ch- 3 Seven Years Later**

**BELLA**

It has been seven eventful years since I handed that letter to Edward Anthony Masen and my life has taken a turning point after that. My adoptive parents – Carlisle and Esme Cullen are the most wonderful people in the whole world! I was sent to Southwestern Academy in Phoenix and after that I was accepted into Harvard University but I graduated through the online classes and finished my studies in two years.

I am a huge business magnet now. I changed my name to Isabella Marie Swan Cullen. I started a small business named S.C. Enterprises and it is now the leading company in the United States.

I married Jacob Black five years ago. We both divorced a few months after I learnt that he loved a girl named Leah Clearwater. But he left me pregnant – with twins!

Jane and Alec Cullen are both me in miniature. Both beautiful with dark, mahogany hair and chocolate brown eyes. They inherited my intelligence and Jake's humor. Jacob and I are still best friends but even then I gave my parents' name to my children.

Renata married Corin Volturi – another relative from Belgium and was now the proud mother of three year olds – Marcus and Ciaus Volturi. My secretary – Chelsea – married Renata's brother Demetri and had twins too – Athenodora and Didyme while her twin - Heidi married Corin's brother Felix and had two children – Eric and Eliza.

We were great friends and would usually meet up at my place during weekends.

Now I was sitting in my office sipping a cappuccino when Chelsea entered.

"Good morning, Ms. Cullen", she said.

"Good morning, Chelsea", I replied.

"Jane and Alec are joining you in twenty minutes. I got a call from the school", she said.

"Why? What happened?", I asked, frowning.

"Apparently, you did not allow them to go to the picnic", she looked at me reproachingly.

"Oh! Well, that is okay", I said.

"You will be interviewing eight people today", she went-on.

I sighed.

"When will they arrive?", I asked.

"An hour", came the reply.

I nodded and dismissed her. She gave me the file with all the information of the applicants.

I froze at the first name.

_Edward Anthony Masen._

"_Would he recognize me? Would he sneer at me again? Did he remember me at all? Would he torment me again? Should I hire him? Or should I kick him out?"_

Strange and panicky thoughts were starting to form in my head. I shook my head to think clearly.

Why would he sneer at me now? I was beautiful, rich, single and powerful. He could do nothing to me. And if he did try _anything_, I had Jake to turn to. Even if he was not my husband, he was my rock, my personal sunshine. And I had Leah and Esme to comfort me. Leah was just like my sister.

After thinking this all out properly, I smiled confidently just as my children came in, their dark eyes glaring at me angrily.

I sighed and opened my mouth to defend myself when Jane cut me off.

"Don't you dare to hire those idiots sitting outside, though I wouldn't say no to the pixie and the red-head", she growled.

"Jane...", Alec was shaking his head.

This was one of those things which made me wonder if they really were twins or not. Jane had a horrible temper but she also felt other's pain in greater amount. Alec on the other hand was calm and collected and would miraculously lessen others pain.

"Get inside", I said.

They had just disappeared into the room behind my office when Chelsea entered.

"They're here", she said with a nod.

"Send them in", I said nervously, as if this was my interview.

"Edward Masen", her clear voice called him in.

"May I come in?", came a velvety voice.

"Yes, please", I said.

He came in. He had lost all of his arrogance now. He looked quite meek in comparison to his previous nature. He had also grown more handsome with his perfect bronze-colored hair and flawless green eyes.

"Mr. Masen", I said curtly.

His polite smile faltered.

"Ms. Cullen, I presume?", he asked.

I nodded, monitoring his every move.

"Take a seat, Mr. Masen", I said.

He sat down and handed his file to me.

"Dartmouth?", I raised my eyebrows.

He nodded.

"And you applied for my secretary?", I asked.

"Yes", he replied.

"Fine! But I suppose you wouldn't be pleased if I said that you might have to wait for a few days, right?"

"I am no one to tell you how much you please me or how much you don't, ma'am", he said with some seriousness.

"Well said. Though I _am_ impressed. You _still_ haven't started flirting", I said.

He allowed himself a small grin.

"How would take it if I say that you can be my secretary - starting tomorrow?", I asked, knowing very well that if he argued he would not get a job either here or anywhere else.

A smile spread across face.

"Really?", he asked.

I nodded with a smirk.

"Enjoy your independence for the last day, Mr. Masen. You start your job tomorrow seven sharp", I said.

He nodded and left the room with a 'thank you'.

"Next!", I called out.

I was surprised to see that the "GANG" had stuck together all these years. I interviewed all of them and was surprised (though 'surprised' would turn out to be the understatement of the year) to see that NONE of them recognized me - not even Alice. And I regret to think that I DID hire Lauren and Jessica.

There was also a redhead named Victoria who was smart and got on rather nicely with me. Though she did not know "_them_"!

**EVENING**

That evening I thought of all the things I could do to make Masen's life miserable. But before I could reach a conclusion Jane rushed into the room.

"Mom! Alec's missing!", she cried as she burst into my bedroom.

"What do you mean missing? Both of you stick together like leeches!", I shouted as I picked up the car keys and grabbed her hand.

**THE FIRST CLIFFHANGER! THOUGH I HATE TO DISAPPOINT YOU ALL, I THOUGHT A BIT OF SUSPENSE WOUD ADD MORE SPICE TO THE STORY!**

**WILL UPDATE IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**THERE YOU GO - CHAPTER 4!**

**:)**

**Ch-3 The Realization**

I rushed with Jane to the police station. Just as I was getting out the car, I saw a silver Volvo pull up. It looked oddly familiar and I realized that it was Edward's Masen's car.

I almost screamed when I saw Alec getting out with him.

"Alec!", I cried, as I rushed up and hugged him.

"Mom! I'm fine!", he said, as I continued squeezing him.

"Do you even know how worried I was?"

"Yep, bro! She was freaking out", said Jane coming up.

"Well, Eric and Marcus and Ciaus were with me – we were playing hide-and-seek, and then they went home without telling me – and I got lost", he explained it as if he were a first-grade arithmetic teacher explaining 1+1=2.

"Where did you meet Edward?", I asked, for I had not forgotten the unwanted person standing next to my son.

Jane looked up at him with the same amount of anger as me. As for Alec, he smiled up at him.

"Oh, Edward brought me here. He said that he knew you. And Mom, he's not as bad as out thought", he said.

I froze at the last part. Edward frowned.

"What do you mean, bad?', he asked.

"Nothing", I replied brusquely.

I decided that I should get home and turned away from him without a word.

It was late at night when the twins were asleep that I realized why Alec was happy on meeting Edward.

"Maybe he needs a father figure – someone he could look up to", I thought as my heart sank.

His father was married to another woman and I could not intrude in their lives. Jane and Alec would not be separated. I could not be separated from my kids. I had vowed to myself the day they were born that I would give them the perfect life. Now I realized that money NEVER gave you happiness.

I decided to talk about this to Chelsea tomorrow.

My dreams were disturbing were Jane and Alec left me to go with Jacob and he turned them out in the streets. When I rushed up to them, they turned into my parents - dead. Then Lucas came in front of me as he staggered and tried to tell me something - fell down dead.

I woke up trembling. I could not sleep, that was certain. Maybe meeting Edward had its disadvantages too - like bringing back old nightmares. Maybe bullying and tormenting someone was not that easy.

I fell asleep after thinking about a million more ''maybe's''.

**HOWZ DAT? PLEASE REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 5

**HERE'S CHAPTER 5! HOPE IT'S GOOD...**

**Ch-5 The Relief**

I realized the second I woke up that it was going to be a horrible day. I had a splitting head-ache as soon as I opened my eyes. The water in my shower ran cold and I found that I hardly had any time to make breakfast.

My kids were also difficult as they refused to go to school.

"WHY?", I screamed for the last time.

"WE HATE MS. RODGERS!", they yelled back.

I huffed and gave up as I realized that I was running late.

I burst into my office exactly 7 minutes late. I saw that Edward was waiting for me.

"Good morning, Ms. Cullen", he said with a smile.

For some reason, this infuriated me.

"Well, get to work or are you going to stand there all day?", I snapped.

He seemed surprised but said nothing.

"I'm home", I said as I walked into Jane's room.

They were both doing their homework.

"Mom!", they cried, and rushed over to me.

I hugged them back.

Their smiles faded when they saw that I was chewing my lip.

"What's wrong, Mom?", asked Alec while Jane looked at me in concern.

"Well...", I began, uncertain of how to bring this up.

"Well what?', asked Jane.

"Do you feel as if something's... missing?", I asked tentatively.

They frowned.

"No"

"Like – a dad?', I asked slowly.

"Oh"

They seemed to understand.

"Is that what you're worried 'bout", asked Alec.

I nodded as they hugged me again.

"We don't need a Dad as long as we've got you, okay?", said Jane.

I felt my eyes tearing up as they hugged me back.

"You know I love you, right?", I said.

"Just like we love you", replied Alec.

Jane said nothing but I realized that she was crying.

"It will be alright", I said trying to comfort her.

"I know", she said.

Later that night when both of them were asleep, I went into each of their bedrooms.

The innocence in their face was evident.

"So young, to face all this", I thought.

I knew that I had my parents at least for fourteen years, whereas they lost their father even before they were born.

I vowed to myself again that I would be the best mother ever.

I went back to bed with a small, but satisfied smile.

_**PLEASE REVIEW! :)**_


	6. Chapter 6

**HERE'S CHAPTER SIX! I WROTE HALF OF IT IN EDWARD'S POV. IMPORTANT: ALL CHAPTERS WILL BE IN BELLA'S POV UNLESS IT SAYS THAT IT'S SOMEONE ELSE!**

**Ch-6. A Clue**

"Mr. Newton would like to meet you today", said Edward.

I sighed. It had been a few weeks since I hired Edward and I had had a hectic schedule all these days – and it seemed that it was not going to end _that_ soon.

"Make an excuse", I said.

"I'm sorry to say this, but you have been avoiding him for the past two weeks by going to unnecessary meetings", he replied.

"Crap! Well, when do I meet him?", I said, resigning with a sigh.

"An hour"

"Alright – wait! I have to pick up Jane and Alec... um... could you pick them up?", I asked.

Edward's eyes widened but he nodded all the same.

"Good", I said and got back to work.

_X _X_X_

"Isabella!", cried Michael Newton as soon as he entered. Edward left the room trying hard not to smirk.

I tried not to show my evident dislike of the name and forced a smile.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Newton", I said.

"Aw, just call me Mike, Izzy!", he said, his voice echoing all around my office and winking at me.

Restraining myself from just punching him, I asked, " What are your proposals _this _time, Mr. Newton?", ignoring another session of "Call me Mike"'s.

**EDWARD**

Mike Newton was surely about to get murdered that day. The look on Ms. Cullen's face was enough to prove that.

I returned after getting myself a coffee and heard his loud voice from her office.

Everyone present on the floor tried hard not to laugh. Even I smiled.

No doubt Ms. Cullen was (there are NO other words to describe her) beautiful. I did not think of her as hot or sexy or any of those other words you'll use for a woman but 'beautiful' just seemed to fit her. But when she that cold look in her chocolate-brown eyes and her rather commanding voice coming out of her full lips, she seemed to lose some of her aura.

The only times I'd seen her really smile was when she was with her children. She did not seem to mind when they would trouble her. She would just keep on smiling at them. And that smile lit up her whole face and she would look heavenly.

"Edward!", called a voice, interrupting my thoughts.

I turned around and saw Alice.

"Hey, Ali!", I replied.

"So – how's it going?", she said skipping over to me.

"Fine, everything is going just fine – which reminds me – do you know where Ms. Cullen's children study?", I asked her, suddenly remembering that I completely no clue where to pick her children from.

"Um... yes, yes I know. Why?", she asked.

"Take me there – I'll explain on the way", I said.

_X _X_X_

"Edward!", cried Alec as soon as he came out.

"Hey, Alec!", I smiled.

He seemed ecstatic to see me there but his sister – Janet, no Jane – narrowed her eyes at me. I felt my smile fade away as I saw her. Those eyes seemed to remind me of another pair of eyes. I could not remember whose eyes.

As I was looking at her she caught sight of Alice. She smiled hugely.

"You are Alice!", she cried flinging herself on Alice.

"You know me?", Alice was surprised.

"Why wouldn't I know you? I've seen your photograph in – ", she suddenly cut off, her eyes widened in shock.

Alec seemed to realize that she was in trouble.

"C'mon", he said and rushed towards the car grabbing her hand.

Alice and I looked at each other with our eyebrows risen in bewilderment.

"Photograph?", I asked.

She just shrugged and walked to the car.

I followed her going over what had happened in the last few minutes.


	7. Chapter 7

**SORRY, IT TOOK ME A LOT OF TIME TO UPLOAD THIS! ANYWAY, HERE YOU GO!**

**Ch-7 The Truth**

**EDWARD **

"A party?" , I asked.

Alice nodded.

"Ms. Cullen has invited many famous business magnets to this party. _Mr. _Newton is coming too", she said.

"Edward!", called Rosalie rushing over to us.

"Ms. Cullen has asked you to search for the details of all the people. They are in locker 15 in the basement", she said.

I nodded and hurried to the basement.

"13..14..15!", I said as I got to the lockers.

I opened it and searched for the red colored details file. As I was searching, a familiar yellow book caught my eye. I gasped as I recognized the 2003 Forks High Yearbook.

Looking around myself, I saw that the place was empty. I quickly stuffed the book into a drawer of a nearby table meaning to take it home with me.

I got the red file after that and left the basement still wondering what a yearbook of MY old school would be doing here.

_That Evening_

I managed to smuggle the yearbook and brought it home.

I kept on going through it. It seemed the same. As I was thinking of closing it, the sophomore class photograph caught my interest.

An irregular pink heart around a brunette made me stare.

"Bella Swan?", I thought to myself incredulously.

I suddenly noticed a childish scribble at the bottom of the page.

" Edwarrd Masen – Ideott ; Emet McCarti – Dumbo ; Rosaly Hail – Aerhead ; Jassper Hail – Crakk ; Jesika Stanlee, Loren Malori – Wiches ; Alice Branden – Sweet pixy ; Bella Swan/Cullen – Sweetest Mom!"

I froze as I read that last name.

"Isabella Cullen – Isabella Swan?", I asked myself.

I heard the others come in just then and ran out with the yearbook.

Their smiles vanished as they saw my expression.

"What happened, Edward?", asked Alice.

I threw he book on the coffee table.

Alice's jaw dropped open as she read what was written.

"Wha-?" , before I could open my mouth, she rushed outside, grabbing her keys on the way.

**BELLA**

I was reading _Sense and Sensibility_ when the doorbell rang.

Alice was standing outside. She looked as if she had been crying.

"Good evening, Ms. Brandon. Please come in and tell me what is the reason of this unexpected visit", I said.

She waited till I closed the door and then flung herself on me.

"Bella! I missed you so much!", she cried.

I stiffened as she said this.

"I'm sorry, but –"

"But what, Ms. _Swan_?", she cut me off, using my original name.

"What do you want to know?", I asked with a sigh.

_The party_

The party was in full swing. I was feeling ecstatic. Three companies had made their deals with me and it seemed that they would be under me within a few weeks.

I had managed to avoid the 'gang'. As for Michael Newton, I would disappear as soon as I'd see him.

I was in no hurry to return that night because Jane and Alec were at Esme's house.

Pretty soon, everyone started to leave.

"Could I have a word with you Ms. Cullen?", a smooth voice asked me.

I started and turned around.

"Sure, Mr. Masen", I said curtly.

He led me to an empty table.

"What is it, Mr. Masen?", I asked.

"Swan, are you sure you won't burst into tears this time?", his old smirk back in place.

"Well Masen, seeing that you work for me, I don't need to be afraid of you", I replied coolly.

He laughed.

"Sure, sure. But – excuse me – I've been meaning to ask this all evening. How did you get pregnant? Did you really get married or did you sleep with some rich guy?', he asked.

SLAP!

I had started to tense as he started to mention my children but he truly had gone over the edge now. I had hit him with all the strength I could muster.

I got up and ran out with tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Life is going to be hell from now on, Masen", I vowed too myself as I got in my car.

**WELL, HOW WAS IT?**

**AND IF ANY OF YOU ARE WONDERING WHAT WAS WRITTEN (BY JANE AND ALEC) IN THE YEARBOOK, HERE YOU GO - **

**EDWARD MASEN - IDIOT, EMMETT McCARTY - DUMBO, ROSALIE HALE - AIRHEAD, JASPER HALE - CRACK, JESSICA STANLEY, LAUREN MALLORY - WITCHES, ALICE BRANDON - CUTE PIXIE, BELLA SWAN/CULLEN - SWEETEST MOM!**

_**PLEASE REVIEW! AND GIVE ME SOME IDEAS ON HOW BELLA SHOULD TORTURE EDWARD!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**I AM SORRY BUT I COULD NOT UPDATE FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS! ANYWAY, THANX FOR THE REVIEWS AND HERE IS CHAPTER 8!**

**Ch-8 The Revenge**

I could not sleep that night. I kept on thinking about how heartless that..that-ARGH! I did not even have a word to express how IDIOTIC he was! How DARE he say such things about me and my kids!

After hours of tossing and turning, I got up to go to Jane's room – when I remembered that both of them were at Esme and Carlisle's house. I simply pulled on my dressing gown and picked up my keys.

I was surprised that the lights were still switched on in my parents' living room. I did not know the time, but judging by the emptiness of the roads, it was rather late.

I walked up to the door and knocked. Esme opened it in a few seconds. A smile spread over her face when she saw that it was me.

"Bella! How nice to see you! How are you? You did not –", I cut her off as I yawned.

"Oh, dear! You are very tired. Come on, your old room is still in perfect condition", she told me as she tugged me upstairs.

I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

**__**

* * *

**_NEXT DAY_**

I had not forgotten what I had vowed to myself last night. My plan was in full progress. I had all kinds of mean and totally useless - but tiring tasks for Ed – Masen. Yep. Masen suited him.

He seemed to be running a 'bit' late. He reached office EXACTLY at one minute past eight. I know, I sound so bitchy!

"You are late, Mr. Masen", I said coldly.

"WHA-?", he almost shouted.

I raised an eyebrow before replying.

"You are exactly one minute late, Mr. Masen", I said pointing to the digital clock.

He looked as if he was going to hit me, but he remained quiet.

"I want all those files edited in an hour – not a minute late. And remember that you are going to stay in office for an extra minute for being late", I ordered and I admit that it sound totally absurd.

He seemed to have a small smile (he was certainly making fun of me) on his face which seemed to disappear the second he caught sight of the amount of files waiting for him.

Those files would take an expert at least three hours and he had to do it in an hour.

He got to work at once.

To my surprise, he managed it in an hour and a half.

"Half an hour late! You'll stay an extra thirty one minutes then", I said without even a compliment for finishing his task.

I knew that I was aggravating him HORRIBLY! But he had no choice at ALL!

The whole day I made him do all sorts of silly jobs – getting me coffee, cleaning and organizing my desk FOUR times, reviewing and copying down ALL business appointments in three different diaries, fetching my laundry and leaving it at home, getting my kids from school, taking my car to the car-wash and driving me home in my car.

I knew that he had to take a taxi after leaving me home to get his OWN car from the office and then he had to drive home.

That night, I felt satisfied for the first time in years.

**EDWARD**

"WHAT THE HELL!", rang through my mind every time Bel – Ms. Cullen would give me a pointless task to do. She was making me crazy, I swear.

And the one time when I said, "Are you out of mind?", when she made me get her laundry, she told me that promotion meant more work and that I should consider my current situation as 'promotion' - in a sickly sweet voice.

By the time I reached home at eleven that night, I was A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E-L-Y whacked (It seems like the understatement of the century!) I set my alarm for five before somehow managing to change and threw myself onto the bed.

_ONE WEEK LATER_

**EDWARD**

My horrible routine continued for one week before I became bad-tempered. Now I know what Be – Ms. Cullen felt like at school – under constant pressure from studies, homework, bullies and dealing with the emotional loss of her dead parents – she had seemed rather controlled at school.

Whereas, I was becoming rather short-tempered with everyone _except_ Ms. Cullen. Actually, she was the only person in front of whom, I did not show my anger, or else I would have been fired.

Sometimes, I wondered whether it was those years at school which made her change into a bitch like Rose, Lauren and Jessica. But whatever happened, I kept on thinking how beautiful she was with her milky-white skin and chocolate-brown eyes.

But then I'd wonder if **I **– Edward Anthony Masen, reigning sex-god of the world – was falling in love with Bella Swan/Cullen – born GEEK?

Sure, she had changed over the past seven years, but she remained the skinny, bespectacled girl with braces for me.

As I poured out a glass of water for myself, a sudden realization made me drop the glass. Thankfully, no one was there to witness it. Or to witness the fact that I found my slowly getting attracted to Bella Cullen.

**_SO HOW WAS IT? NEXT CHAPTER WILL HAVE SOME ROMANCE BETWEEN BELLA AND EDWARD, BUT - WELL I AM NOT GONNA REVEAL IT!_**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**** :-D**


	9. Chapter 9

**I AM VERY SORRY, GUYS! IT TOOK ME A LOT OF TIME TO UPDATE! AS I PROMISED LAST TIME, THERE WILL BE A BIT OF ROMANCE BETWEEN EDWARD AND BELLA, BUT THERE WILL BE NO KISSING YET. ENJOY!**

**Ch-9 The Confrontation**

The same routine continued for Edward for almost a week. Those devilishly handsome looks of which he was so proud in high school were starting to have an almost vampir-ish look – dark circles under his beautiful green eyes, pale skin and the way he walked – all seemed to scream out, "I HAVEN'T SLEPT IN DAYS, YOU IDIOTIC WOMAN!"

But I refused to reduce his workload. It was his fault. I did not tell him to get in my wrong books. All his friends were very angry with me. Whenever they saw me, they would glare daggers at me and I would smile back sweetly. It never seemed to bother me that they despised me.

The only person who had not said or done anything yet was Alice. But I seemed to have jinxed it because one particularly rainy morning, she chose to come and talk to me.

"Ms. Cullen?", she called as she came into my office.

"Alice!", I cried and smiled at her.

"Um... may I call you Bella for this discussion or...", she stopped.

"Alice, we are old friends after all!", I said.

"Right. Bella, I want to know _why_ you are torturing Edward to such an extent that he has stopped eating?", she asked.

My eyes narrowed. So the only reason that she wanted to talk to me was about that person who had once made _my_ life hell.

"Just consider yourself lucky that it is not you", I said coldly.

"But, Bella –",

I cut her off.

"It's Ms. Cullen for you", I said and got back to my work.

She looked at me as if I was crazy and then took a deep breath before continuing.

"Look, can't you just give him some time to apologize? I'm surprised that he hasn't considered suicide yet", she said.

"I never gave you the authority to tell me how I treat my employees, Ms. Brandon", I said curtly, without looking up from my desk.

"He was young and he did not know what he did was wrong, Bella!", she cried.

"Oh really? Is he still to young and naïve to know that he should not hurt other people's feelings?", I asked in a baby-ish voice.

"Really, Bella! What the hell is your problem? Am I not your best friend anymore?", she asked.

"Oh yes, Alice! Of _course_ you are still that wonderful best-friend you were back in high school!", I cried like Alice.

She did not seem to understand.

"Wha - ?",

"You were the one who would always protect me from those cool people. You were the one who would make sure that I would not be hurt. The list will go on Alice. Just tell me, did you even once tried to stop them? All that you ever cared was money and that is what you still want!"

Her eyes glazed over as I said this and when I got to the money part, she ran out.

I did not feel good after I talked with her like this. I hated to think that I was mean to my only friend. But the truth was that I was horribly jealous! How dare she defend him when she had never defended me!

Just then Edward came in with a letter.

I felt like killing myself when I saw who sent it. Edward was still in the room waiting for further instructions.

I knew the tears had started flowing when I read the letter.

"Are you alright, Ms. Cullen?", he asked coming over to my side.

Oh that velvety voice! How I had missed hearing it! I could not control myself as I threw my at him, pointing at the letter all the time.

**EDWARD**

It took me all of my self-control not to shout with happiness when she hugged me. The letter was lying on the table. I picked it up.

_Dear Isabella,_

_I know you are surprised to hear from me. After all it has been six years since we met. Sure the last time I saw you, it was a horrible sight! You carrying some other bastard's child, or should I say children?_

_Yes, I know that you have two children and they are with me, Bella! If you want them back, then you know the conditions – five million dollars and a one night stand._

_If the conditions seem over-demanding to you, then sparing your children's life seems over-demanding to me!_

_You know where to meet me. I'll be waiting for you, Isabella!_

_Yours __**sincerely**__,_

_James Hunter_

I wanted to kill this James person for making my Bella cry. As I hugged her tightly, she gulped.

"Edward?", she asked in a small voice.

"Yes, Bella?", I said softly.

"Will you help me?", her voice got lower at the end of the sentence.

"Of course", I whispered as I hugged her again.

"Thank you", she whispered and pressed herself to me.

And in that one single moment, I understood that the girl in my arms was a fragile being who just had a hard covering. Once you broke through it, she was just a delicate human being.

And I realized that I slowly falling for Bella Cullen.

**SO HOW WAS THAT? PLEASE REVIEW!**


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